<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>White lies (FFXIVWrite2020 Day 21 - Foibles) by Ivelia</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26584432">White lies (FFXIVWrite2020 Day 21 - Foibles)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ivelia/pseuds/Ivelia'>Ivelia</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>FFXIV Write 2020 [21]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XIV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Tumblr: FFXIVwrite2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:21:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,189</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26584432</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ivelia/pseuds/Ivelia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Part of my attempt for #FFXIVWrite2020 - September 21 (Day 21 - Foibles)<br/>Truthful conversation between friends.<br/>Spoilers for 5.0 MSQ!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>FFXIV Write 2020 [21]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1906951</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>White lies (FFXIVWrite2020 Day 21 - Foibles)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It had taken a lot of supplicating smiles and reassuring nods for her to agree to wet her lips to celebrate the return of the night over Norvrandt; after all, it wouldn’t do if the main protagonist didn’t even bother to drink for this occasion. But after draining her first glass, it was clear to her that saying that her ability to hold her drink had rusted from disuse would be a clear understatement. So, before anyone could ask for another toast, and another one, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>another one</span>
  </em>
  <span>, ultimately leading to a painful hangover tomorrow and embarrassing stories </span>
  <em>
    <span>forever</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she discreetly slipped to the edge of the festivities, </span>
  <span>only to find herself face to face with someone else that wasn’t the type to mingle with the crowd.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “Oh, Urianger. You’ve fled here too”. A nod of assent was all he managed before the atmosphere slipped into a strangely uncomfortable silence, as she leaned on the railing while he was sipping from his own glass a few malms away. She wondered for a while where did this almost tangible awkwardness come from -this was why </span>
  <em>
    <span>she did not like drinking,</span>
  </em>
  <span> even when her drink was not spiked- but it finally hit her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>- (Maybe, he’s still worried about </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span>?) she sighed internally. Usually, she would have left the situation to fix itself, at the risk of letting the figurative wounds rot and discord fester; but this night, thanks to the effects of that glass of liquid courage, she decided to clear the air instead:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “You could have said the truth, but you didn’t…” she remarked. “It’s becoming some kind of a bad habit, isn’t it?” This was not an usual, expected, </span>
  <em>
    <span>appropriate</span>
  </em>
  <span> ice breaker. Caught off-guard, he almost choked on his own drink, his distant gaze snapping to her. Yet her calm mien confirmed that it was not a reproach, but a mere observation, on the same tone one would talk about the weather.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “Thou… art not upset...?” She chuckled at his hesitant face, taunting: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “Of course not; I am but a convenient weapon, weapons have no need for truth.” She could see a hint of flustered horror flash on his face, and felt a bit of sadistic delight (Serves him right!) “What, ‘twas not what you meant?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “‘Tis not so!” It was a rare thing to see him, usually so eloquent, not being able to retort, having nothing more than his own good will to offer as an argument. Of course, she </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>that this was not what he meant. Yet, she pushed a bit further:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “Pray tell, Archon. Are you lying because you think we can’t handle the truth, or because you can’t handle being the sole holder of the truth?” The accusation left him speechless; in any random person's ears, they might ring true, yet he had nothing to counter it. “A really bad habit to have, truly.” And, going for the kill: “But you know, a lie only has value if it is believed”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “‘Tis not what I meant…” He could oppose nothing but contrite remorse to face her. As articulate as he was when it came to ancient texts and theories, he felt frustrated beyond words that he could not express himself, his feelings properly at this juncture.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “Of course, I know. You say so, and I believe in you” He could feel the paradox, and the silent implication in her words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “This will not happen again…” She suddenly burst out laughing:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “What did Alisaie say again? “making promises you have no way of keeping is not a kindness─it's a lie” She chucked playfully “Yet another one.” As if counting score in a game, and noth friendship breaking falsehoods. She kept on firing “You did it, and it’s not the first time. And if you deem it necessary, you will do it again.” He opened his mouth to deny but she cut him mercilessly, raising her voice. “I’d appreciate it if you did not lie more than necessary, though” “Else I’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> feel insulted.” Pressured by her verbal onslaught, he didn’t dare to face her; although he was kinda used to handle drunkards due to spending so much time chaperoning Moenbryda and Thancred’s outings, a tipsy, talkative, </span>
  <em>
    <span>incensed</span>
  </em>
  <span> Warrior of Light fell way out of his scope; “Look at me in the eye, Urianger Augurelt. Or were you lying too, when you were talking of how you would accept any and all consequences?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was momentarily stumped by her sudden outburst; looking in her eyes, deadlocked in tense silence, he found </span>
  <em>
    <span>something.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>- (Damn it all)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe he was under influence too, though he had only drunk the first cocktail he had inherited from Thancred after shaming him into drinking water; maybe it was the thought that none of them would remember anything from but blurry tidbits from this conversation; regardless of the reason, a rare, clear truth ended up escaping from his lips parted in an indulgent sigh:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “Naught can escape thine eyes. Of course I will do it again” What should have felt like a shameful admission, somehow felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>liberating</span>
  </em>
  <span>, even more so than the unnatural heat from the colorful beverage he had ingested. He took a deep breath “I will do anything, </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything</span>
  </em>
  <span> that fate requires of me. For the greater good” His unwavering gaze finally met hers upfront. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “For the greater good, of course. Good, good!” She burst out in joyous laughter, vigorously clapping his back in a rare display of emotion, with almost bruising force. Oops. Yeah, she was probably a bit drunk. She continued “That’s the kind of conviction I like! If you’re going to go down such a </span>
  <em>
    <span>hard</span>
  </em>
  <span> path, then you can’t afford to hesitate, right!” She leaned heavily into the railing, her vulnerable silhouette standing out against the lights “I’ll gladly offer you my back, feel free to stab it if needed. I trust you!” He chuckled at the brazen offer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “Hopefully, it won’t come down to this” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “It will be lonely, in your fortress of lies…” Her suddenly soft voice betrayed a hint of concern. “So, you don’t have to close the door.” She clarified her thoughts under his inquisitive brow “What I mean is, it’s not because you </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span> bear this on your own that you </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to.” She sneered “Though this is a bit rich coming from me. Anyway, you can trust us a bit more, won't you? Instead of going straight up for the wacky, secretive plan that casts you in the villain role, Mr. Ageless Sorcerer. Else, we might end up thinking </span>
  <em>
    <span>you like that</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” He answered, sincerely this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “I will.” He caught her throwing him a knowing look, and he could see her mouth the words through her smile: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>- (You liar.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- “Nice, it’s good that we’re on the same page. I mean, if you started being any stiffer around people than you already are, you’d turn into crystal. Speaking of which… Of course you are not the only one to blame for this… I’ll need to have a word with that person about his suicidal tendencies.” She started scanning the crowd for her next victim.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- (Exarch, I pray for thee…)</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>